Heimir Hilmarsson joined ICSP in 2016, we will remember him in gratitude as an engaged member and always kind and supportive colleague.

One of the most important advocates of parental equality, Heimir Hilmarsson, former chairman of the association, has passed away. Heimir worked for decades for the welfare of children and the equality of fathers with mothers. He specifically campaigned against violence in relation to access restrictions, for children’s right to live with both parents and opened a debate on the harm of separation between children and parents. Heimir was concerned about the power imbalance between legal domicile parents and visitation parents, contributed to the progress of research and, among other things, wrote a master’s thesis on the experiences of fathers who do not share legal domicile with a child. For that essay, he was recognized by Ís-Forsa, the Icelandic Association for Research in Social Work, in 2015 for his outstanding contribution to welfare issues.

Heimir was a social worker and worked, among other things, in child protection. He acquired important knowledge about parental equality, gave talks at national and international conferences and was highly regarded in that field both here at home and in the international community. Under Heimir’s management, the association fought for changes in the law that led, among other things, to changes in the law that gave judges the authority to award joint custody and equal visitation, the access of non-custodial parents to information about their children, that the automatic custody of cohabiting partners/spouses was abolished and fathers were given authority to file paternity proceedings. Heimir was particularly concerned that children could have two legal domiciles and worked until the last day to shed light on the current law that creates an unequal position between parents.

The great success that Heimir achieved was not only thanks to his intelligence and hard work, but he had a unique way of reconciling different points of view. Everyone who met him was aware of the great kindness he had towards those he came in contact with and his sincere desire to improve the lives of children and their parents. These qualities of his will be maintained by Parental Equality for a long time to come.

Heimir’s light will continue to shine in Heimir Hilmarsson’s newly established Research Fund, Leyfi til að elska (Permission to Love), but the fund will provide grants for research on the issues Heimir was interested in.

Raising community awareness of the importance of parental equality can be complex and the discussion sensitive. Heimir did this with great care and deep respect for everyone involved. The Board of Parental Equality would like to thank Heimir for his invaluable work and express our deepest sympathy to his children and other loved ones.

The memory of a good boy lives on.
https://www.foreldrajafnretti.is/

On behalf of the International Council on Shared Parenting (ICSP) we would like to convey our sincere condolences to the family and close friends of Jan Piet H. de Man, who passed away on 11 November 2021.

We all will miss Jan Piet H. de Man as our dear friend and highly estimated colleague. As a dedicated researcher focused on the best interests of children and as a pioneer of shared parenting family law reform in Belgium and beyond, he was one of the core founders of the International Council on Shared Parenting (ICSP). Since the foundation in February 2014 he belonged to the ICSP Board of Directors representing family professions as a child and family psychologist and accredited family mediator. He was passionately committed to our mission and actively involved in all committees and activities, including our International Conferences on Shared Parenting in Bonn (Germany) 2014/2015, Boston (USA) 2017, Strasbourg (France) 2018, Malaga (Spain) 2019 and Vancouver (Canada) 2020 with numerous presentations on his empirical research results and practical experience. We very much appreciated his personal balance and humour, his research enthusiasm, his advice and continuous support.

Is it purpose or coincidence, that on November 20, 2021, parallel to the memorial celebration of Jan Piet H. de Man the world is celebrating the International Day of Children’s Rights? In fact it was Jan Piet who with all his heart and strength promoted the right of all children in the world to grow up with both parents in love and peace.

Looking back to his lifetime achievement, it is now up to all of us to take care for and move forward his heritage. May the seeds he has sown for the right of all children to grow up with both parents continue to bear fruits! Dear Jan Piet, we will keep you in our hearts forever!

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